Bambina

37. I have a brother?

"Sophia! Wake up! Raphaelle's here," Danielle whispers, shaking me. I groan and roll over, my eyelids heavy with sleep. Raphaelle? Why is he here so early? I check the clock on my bedside table—6:30 am. Way too early for any sensible person to be picking me up. But then again, Raphaelle isn't known to be conventional.

Dragging myself out of bed, I stumble towards the door, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. Danielle stands there, "he's got a girl with him, you know?."

She's sceptic, that much I can tell. I chuckle, smirking. "Oh, you mean Chiara?"

"Chiara?"

I nod, "yeah. His little sister."

 With a resigned sigh, I shuffle to change, my mind already racing with questions. What could Raphaelle possibly need for picking me up at this hour? I thought he was gonna pick me up to drive me to school, because that little drive is peculiarly precious to him, but this early? That's a stretch.

As I throw on some clothes and attempt to tame my bedhead into something presentable, Danielle hovers by the doorway. "Your boyfriend, daddy, whatever, he's insane."

She's so not a morning person. But neither am I.

I pull a sweater over my head. "He's not crazy. Unconventional yes, but crazy?" I silence for a second. "Okay, maybe he is a little crazy, but not in that way!"

Danielle snorts, "Be careful, Sophia. You never know what trouble that man might drag you into."

I shoot her a glare as I put on my shoes. "Don't be mean. Seriously, Danielle, stop. It's hurting me."

I make my way downstairs, and outside to his waiting car. Chiara storms out of the passenger seat, giving me a way too excited hug to be this early in the morning. "Hey, Chiara," I say smiling, as happy as I manage to be this early in the morning.

Raphaelle smiles at us. When Chiara releases me, Raphaelle takes his turn to kiss me. "Good morning, babydoll."

"Why'd you pick me up this early?" I ask pouting. I hope he has a good reason. 

He sighs. Something's... off. "There's something you need to know, bambina. We're going to the hospital."

I scrunch my nose, "hospital?"

I feel sick already. "Yes. I know you hate them, but it's where he is right now."

"What? Where who is?"

He grabs hold of my hand, leading to the car. Chiara has switched seats to the backseat, leaving the passenger seat for me.

As I slide into the car, my heart quickens its pace. The mention of a hospital sends a shiver down my spine, conjuring memories of sterile corridors and that smell... that sterile metallic smell. No. Raphaelle's grip on my hand tightens as he starts the engine, his expression unreadable in the dim morning light.

Chiara leans forward from the backseat, "you have a brother, Sophia!" she exclaims.

"Chiara!" Raphaelle growls, hands clenching around the steering wheel. 

"What? It's exciting!"

"You weren't supposed to... cazzo!"

My stomach drops like a stone. My mind races, trying to process the information. Brother? Hospital? Questions flood my thoughts. I don't have a brother? What even is this?

Raphaelle glances at me, "I'm sorry, Sophia. I wanted to tell you myself. But it's true. You do have a brother."

I shake my head, trying to push back the panic threatening to engulf me. "What do you?" I shake my head. This can't be true. There is no way.